The CQC said that as of 18 March, 114 potential providers had yet to apply for registration, and 46 had submitted applications but had not received their registration certificates.

Of a possible 7,700 eligible organisations 7,586 (98.5%) had submitted applications to the CQC, and 7,400 had received their registration paperwork.

A spokeswoman for the CQC said some of the outstanding providers may not need to register and they were being ‘followed up’ to establish this.

She said other providers may simply be late with their application, and the CQC was trying to determine why they had yet to submit an application.

These practices or other organisations would be ‘supported in making their applications by the required date’, she said.

As long as GP practices and other providers submit an application by 1 April, no action will be taken against them even if they do not receive their certificate before the deadline. In the short term the CQC is likely to work with any organisation that fails to submit an application by 1 April rather than taking immediate action.